Officer Down: Reckoner
by LacytheRomanWerewolf
Summary: Dave reveals more of his past to JJ as Emily has to deal with some of Aaron's past coming back as well. HP JRo


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Lacy here peoples with the next Officer Down. Reckoner. This episode sucks for two reasons, what Dave goes through and the opening scene with Jack. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Aaron got to see his son but it was sad and made me cry. Still does. Now, I'm going to get yelled at cause I wrote almost 6k words earlier for my SG-1 story without my brace on and, yeah it didn't go over well. The lack of brace, I mean. But! I've got it on now, so it's all good. Back to the story. Back in Cold Comfort, when Dave messed up there, he promised JJ his past would never come between them again so, when it comes time for his past to be revealed, he'll be taking JJ aside before hand, filling her in so she knows. Um, got nothing else and this is long enough so have...not sure that fits.

Disclaimer: I own Mattie.

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~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Emily hummed softly to herself as she moved around the kitchen. She may physically be on maternity leave but her internal alarm still went off every morning at six, just moments after Aaron's clock went off. That actually worked perfectly since Mattie woke up around six thirty, wanting food. Right now, Aaron was changing their daughter before bringing her down to be fed. Emily was making Aaron something to eat since she knew he probably wouldn't take a break for lunch.

"Alright," Aaron said as he walked into the kitchen with Mattie. "someone is hungry."

Emily smiled. "Good, then Mattie and Daddy can eat at the same time."

Aaron handed Emily their daughter and gave her a kiss. "I've got something to run by you."

Emily pulled Mattie's already prepared bottle from the microwave. "What is it?"

Aaron's face grew a bit sad. "Sam and Garcia set up a way for me to see Jack today, since it's his birthday and I was wondering if you and Mattie wanted to come."

Emily felt tears pressing at her eyes. She'd almost forgotten Jack's birthday was today. The little guy would be four years old and it would be the first time Aaron wasn't there for it.

"Are you sure?" Emily asked.

Aaron nodded. "You're both his family and I want Mattie to see something of Jack other then a picture."

Emily smiled. "Then we'll be glad to come."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Standing back with Garcia and Sam, Emily listened to Aaron tell Mattie who they were watching on the video link.

"Can you zoom any closer?" Emily asked Garcia softly.

Garcia shook her head. "Not without it being pixelized. That's as close as I can get."

Emily gave a small smile. "Don't worry, I can tell just seeing him is helping."

Aaron turned to Emily. "Em,"

Emily stepped up to Aaron's side, resting her head against his arm. "You and Mattie done talking?"

Aaron nodded. "For now."

They both watched Jack walk by the camera with one of the marshals.

"Happy birthday Buddy." Aaron said quietly.

Emily looked at his face and slid an arm around his waist, resting her other hand on their daughter's head.

"We'll have a party, just the four of us and Haley, when he comes home." Emily said quietly. "Sound good?"

Aaron nodded, tipping his head to rest it against Emily's. "Sounds really good."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Emily laid Mattie down for her nap and smiled as the little girl sighed as she drifted off to sleep. The quiet moment was shattered as someone started banging on the front door. Emily's heart jumped but she calmed it quickly, telling herself someone dangerous wouldn't bang on the door. They'd kick it down.

Checking to make sure Mattie was still sleeping, Emily switched on the baby monitor before heading out of the room. She closed Mattie's door all the way and grabbed the other monitor off the hall table. Making her way downstairs, she got more and more annoyed with the banging as she went. Whoever was on the other side was getting an earful. Anyone who knew Emily and Aaron knew they had a new baby at home.

Opening the door, Emily was more then a little confused to see Aaron's ex-sister-in-law on the other side. Emily had met Jessica Brooks once at Jack's third birthday party. To say it hadn't gone well would be an understatement.

"Jessica, what are you doing here?" Emily managed to ask.

Jessica pushed her way in and spun to face Emily. "Where is he?"

Emily cocked a brow. "I'm assuming you're referring to Aaron. He's on a case with our team."

Jessica narrowed her eyes at Emily. "Why aren't you?"

Emily held her temper in place. "I'm on maternity leave. You knew I was pregnant Jessica. Haley told you."

Jessica took a step forward. "Don't you dare say her name. You and Aaron and that team of yours are the reason I lost my sister and nephew."

"First off," Emily started. "we are not the reason. A serial killer named George Foyet is. And second, you did not lose them. Don't talk like they're dead. They were sent away for their safety, something Haley understood very well before she and Jack left, and they will be home."

"I told you not to say her name." Jessica repeated.

Emily shook her head. "I don't care what you told me to do. Haley is my friend and if I want to say her name, you can bet your ass I will."

"My sister would never be friends with you." Jessica said. "You're nothing but a slut who stole Haley's family from her."

Taking a deep breath, Emily just barely held her temper. "I'll ignore that since I know you're upset about Jack and Haley not being here. But if I remember correctly, and I know I do, Haley was the one who cheated on Aaron, causing the end of their marriage and I have not stolen her family. If anything, we're a part of each others families."

Jessica's eyes narrowed further. "You will never be a part of our family."

"I never said YOUR family." Emily corrected Jessica. "I personally don't want any more to do with you then need be. I meant the family Haley has with Aaron and Jack and the family I have with Aaron and Mattie. Whether you like it or not, Jessica, the five of us are a family. You can't change that."

"He won't leave his job for you." Jessica said. "Just like he wouldn't for Haley."

Emily shrugged. "I would never ask him to. He and I do our jobs because it makes the world safer for our children to grow up in."

"There is no 'your' children." Jessica said, her voice raising. "Do not talk like Jack is yours."

"I'm not." Emily said, her temper reaching its breaking point. Who the hell was Jessica to come in and start telling Emily what she could and couldn't be in Jack's life? In Haley's life? "I know he's not mine but I love him and he loves me. Again, not something you can change. I'm part of Jack's life and not going anywhere."

Jessica left out a shrill scream of anger and annoyance. Seconds after, Emily heard Mattie's cries over the baby monitor and her temper snapped.

"Get out of my house." Emily said, her eyes darkening with anger and maternal instinct to protect her daughter. "I don't care if you want to come in here and blow off steam, trying to change my role in Haley and Jack's lives but I will not stand by and let you scream and wake up my daughter." she stepped forward. "You leave now and there's a small chance I won't tell Aaron about this."

"This isn't over." Jessica said as she turned to leave.

"And that chance just went flying out the window." Emily said as she held the door open. "You'll be hearing from Aaron soon. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Dave knew what it was going to take to break this guy. He knew and he also knew he couldn't go in there until he talked to JJ. He would not let her stand there, completely clueless, and be told about a past he'd let go the moment he'd held her and Henry together the first time.

"You ready Dave?" Aaron asked.

Dave shook his head. "Not yet. I need to talk to JJ alone first."

Aaron frowned but nodded. "Alright, I'll send her in."

Dave paced a small circle in the room as he ran his hands over his face. There were two ways he could go about this. One, he could start off by saying that he was happy with the way his life was and that he never regretted being with JJ and Henry and then follow that with 'but'. Or, he could tell her he has to explain something from his past that might make her question their relationship but it didn't mean he loved her any less.

The second one sounded best. Following up that he was happy with 'but' would most likely end with his cheek stinging for a few hours and JJ never speaking to him again. Dave paused his pacing. Yeah, option two it was.

"Dave,"

Dave turned and found JJ closing the door as she stepped into the room.

"Is everything okay?" JJ asked.

Dave nodded. "Yeah." he exhaled. "Do you remember when I told you my past and our work would never come between us again?"

JJ stepped forward. "Yeah, I remember."

Dave looked down for a moment. "I'm keeping my promise. There's one way to break that man in there and it's going to take a chunk of my past that I haven't told you about yet."

JJ fought the urge to cross her arms, knowing Dave would see it as a defensive gesture. "I'm listening."

Dave took a deep breath. "This is going to make you question everything, Jen but I want you to remember that I love you and Henry and there is not a thing in this world, past, present or future that would make me leave you two or give you up. You two are my world."

JJ smiled. "I know Dave and we love you too."

Dave returned the smile before taking another breath. "That man in there was married to Emma Taylor, my best friend from the moment we met when we were twelve. She always said we were doomed to be star crossed lovers." he noticed JJ's breath seemed to catch in her chest at his words but pressed on. Everything he said to her, he planned on saying to the judge. "We knew everything about each other. Loved each other for years."

JJ cleared her throat. "Did you ever," she swallowed. "Were you ever together?"

Dave shook his head. "The one time we had the chance, she was married and I loved and respected her too much to make her choose."

JJ seemed comforted by this. "Do you still love her?"

Dave sighed. "I think part of me still does but I've known for a while now that it wasn't meant to be."

"How do you know?" JJ asked.

Dave stepped forward and took JJ's hands. "Because nothing of what I felt for her can compare to what I feel every time I see you and Henry. You two are my family now. Emma's just the past."

JJ stared at their joined hands for a long moment before pulling Dave forward to kiss him.

"Go get a confession." she said softly.

Dave smiled. "Be glad to."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Aaron noticed the second he walked in the house that something was wrong. Emily was sitting on the couch, Mattie asleep in her playpen, and appeared to be reading but Aaron could tell she wasn't absorbing anything.

"Sweetheart," Aaron said softly so he wouldn't wake their daughter. "what's wrong?"

Emily stood up, checked Mattie then looked at Aaron. "Kitchen."

Aaron nodded and followed Emily into the kitchen. He took in her posture as she leaned against the counter and moved to stand behind her so he could settle his hands on her shoulders.

"What's wrong?" Aaron repeated.

"You need to have a talk with Jessica." Emily said.

Aaron frowned. Not what he was expecting. "Why?"

Emily turned and Aaron's hands fell to her hips.

"She came over here the day you guys left," Emily said. "and started telling me what my role should be in Haley and Jack's lives. Now, I defended myself just fine and kicked her out when her voice got to the level where it woke Mattie but you need to tell her she can't do that ever again. I love you Aaron and our family but I will not have Haley's pissed off relatives come over here to yell at me."

Aaron took in everything Emily told him. He knew Jessica didn't like Emily, hell she barely liked him, but he never imagined she'd do what Emily said.

He pulled Emily into his arms. "I'll go over now and talk to her. I'm sorry she put you through that Emily. You don't deserve it. Haley and Jack love you."

Emily rested her head on Aaron's shoulder. "Thank you."

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Jessica opened her door and found herself staring at the face of her very angry ex-brother-in-law.

"We need to talk." Aaron said, his voice deadly calm.

Jessica didn't argue. She just stepped back and let Aaron in. Aaron moved into the house.

"What gave you the idea you had the right to talk to Emily that way?" Aaron asked.

Jessica crossed her arms. "She's part of the reason Haley and Jack are gone."

Aaron's eyes darkened more with anger. "Get it straight, Jessica. George Foyet is the reason Haley and Jack are gone. He is the one who came in and threatened my family."

"They're my family too, Aaron." Jessica said.

"They are. But," Aaron stepped right up to Jessica. "attack Emily again and I will make sure Haley never lets you near Jack ever again. Jack loves Emily, will defend her just like I will and Haley will. You're on the losing side, Jessica. Back down."

Before Jessica could say anything else, Aaron left.

~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

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*swallows* So, I decided since I have Haley and Emily friends, Jessica could be the bad guy. Nope, this won't be the last we see of her. She'll be causing more problems. Let me know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks for reading.

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